Class Fix

This is a highly experimental, high possibility of going haywire tweak to add onto the Rogue. At this point, a Rogue is not better enough at skills than anyone else, especially in Pathfinder, to really consider it one of his draws. To work on this, I want to add a new class feature on the Pathifnder Rogue, Uncanny Skill. The first part is the skill mechanic itself, though this will come later with a second part of “heroic” skill uses, and a 3rd part of Rogue Talents, Advanced Talents, and other basic uses of Uncanny Skill.

Uncanny Skill: At first level, you gain exceptional ability in one skill. Choose 1 skill that you have trained and either have as a class skill or have Skill Focus in. Whenever you use that skill, you add 1d4 to the skill roll. This amount is your skill dice and it advances based on Table 1, based on your Rogue level. Every 4 levels past first, you can choose 1 more trained skill to gain this bonus on. Also, if you have Skill Focus in a trained skill that is also a class skill, you gain use of this feature with that skill too. You lose the ability to roll extra dice with your skill check if you do not have ranks in that skill equal to your class level.

Secondly, representing a rogue’s uncanny luck and capability to plan, 1 + your Rogue level times per day, you can further push a skill that you have Uncanny Skill for. This takes the same action as the skill use itself, unless it says otherwise.

Unwavering: When making an opposed roll, your skill dice also acts as a penalty to one of your opponents checks. When making a check with circumstance penalties, your skill dice both gives you it’s bonus and reduces the penalties by it’s value. This can never turn a penalty into a bonus.

Quick: If a skill check has a duration up to 1 minute, you can reduce it to one swift action by also giving up the skill dice. If it takes up to 10 minutes, you can instead reduce it to 1d3 full rounds by also giving up the skill dice. This has no effect on checks longer than 10 minutes long.

Tempo: When you roll initiative, after you have seen the result, you can roll 1d20 + your skill dice. If you do so, this replaces your initiative.

Better Mouse Trap: When you reach 4th level, you can use this to apply your skill dice to every skill check you make this round. For skills that you do not have skill dice with, you use your dice as if you were a Rogue 3 levels lower.

Rogue Level

Skill Dice

1st

1d4

4th

1d6

7th

1d8

10th

1d10

13th

2d6

16th

3d6

19th

4d6

+3

+1d6

Note that this isn’t complete without the Heroic skill uses, which will be inspired by the Epic Level Handbook. However, with this, and a few more general uses of Uncanny Skill, a rogue should be able to be the best in non-combat short of high level magic.